"Tell It Like It Is" Blogging and TPT Advice

My advice for you is this: Work hard, have patience, play by the rules, and play nice.

Here is the breakdown:

Work Hard - Did you know that it can take me up to an hour to complete one single page of a packet? My packets are usually between 20 and 90 pages! Before I begin creating the actual packet, I spend hours finding the perfect fonts and graphics. There is no one-stop shopping for these things. I scour Etsy, TpT, Lettering Delights, Scrappin' Doodles, and others looking for the best comercial use products. Then, I actually have to make the packet. I use Word or Power point to make the packets. I got good at these programs by trial and error. I also googled tutorials. I love Google -click here for my technology post, where Google gets a huge shout out! The wonderful Kristen AKA Ladybug also has the best tutorials. Did you know TpT has a forum section dedicated to "Selling Tips?" The forums are a wonderful place to go for everything from technological support to emotional support! I have pinned some of my favorite tutorials and posts, here.

I notice dips in sales when I blog or create less. Summers are better for me because I spend more time and effort creating and blogging. This is just further evidence to me that there is a direct correlation between hard work and success.

Here is something my grandmother or as we called her, Nanny, used to say:

If you are saying "Oh, I can't blog or I can't figure out how to insert a graphic." Just ask yourself if blogging and creating products for TpT is something you really want. If you really want it, you will work hard for it. If you don't want to make your own products or be a blogger, that is ok too! Bloggers/sellers like me need people to read our posts and buy our products! There are certain things I "can't" do anymore, because I don't have the time. Time is valuable! I now pay someone to cut my lawn and clean my house. They do a way better job than I would anyway! My time is better spent creating and blogging.

Patience - Success rarely happens overnight. I have been a seller on TpT since 2008! It took a long time for my store to pick up followers. I did not stress about it and focused on my Scholastic books. When TpT got more popular, I took the time to analyze what I was doing and what I was not doing. I looked at other successful sellers and saw that having a blog really helped them market their products. I also noticed that they bought professional looking clip art and font. They treated TpT as an outlet to sell entire units, as if they were writing a teacher resource book. I was selling small activities without covers and using GASP Comic Sans font! I looked to the way my Scholastic books were laid out for inspiration: attractive cover, table of contents, teacher directions, student directions, reproducibles, and credit pages. I focused on what I needed for my own classroom and then followed the format of my books. Slowly things started to follow an upward trajectory.

Play by the Rules & Play Nice - Be genuine! When I started, I did not go around leaving irrelevant Q&A's in teachers' stores. I did not ask other sellers to rate my items. I made SMALL freebies and shared them on my blog and in my store. I responded to feedback and comments. I still try and do that. A "thank you" is always appreciated! I did not steal ideas behind the guise of "Pinterest inspired," besides the fact that there was no Pinterest then. I did not leave comments that said "Follow Me" or "come check out my blog." If you want people to know about your blog, make sure you leave a direct link to it in your comments (here is Ladybug's tutorial). This allows a blogger or a reader to find your blog without you having to say "follow me." I also did not send generic emails to all the top sellers asking for advice. Like the ones where people wrote to me "Dear Erin." If you want someone to take the time to write you back, you have to take the time to get your facts straight. So instead of generic emails, I actually read whole blog posts and left thoughtful comments or I sent an email. Friendships formed through these comments and emails. I got to know these bloggers through reading their blog posts and they through reading mine. We began hosting linkys together and throwing contests together. If we purchased each other's products and found them useful, we would blog about them. These ladies have become good friends! We actually visit each other, send Christmas cards, and share joys and heartache! Though, I have been blogging and at TpT for a long time, I continue to form friendships. Blogland is full of awesome bloggers. It actually is so overwhelming. I continue to make connections through commenting and now the cool thing is that you can reply back to the comments! We just need a like button for these comments and we will be all set! **Don't worry if you started blogging and left follow me comments! This is a learning process. No one starts out perfect. Especially not me! You should read my boring first posts!

Things have changed since I started this whole adventure. I love it, but it is a lifestyle change for me. It has become my full-time second job. Yes, it is nice to have a second job that I can do from home, but it takes will-power to be inside on sunny Saturdays! Please, note that not everyone who blogs needs to take it as seriously as I do -you do what works for you!

Good luck to you if this is the path you choose to take or are already on. Thank you for reading this whole post :) If you are thinking about signing up to be a seller, I would appreciate if you would use this link. It shows TpT that I recommended you and I get 5% of Paul's cut :).

168 comments:

Great advice Erica! I just started selling on TpT this past October and I am very proud of my $34.50 I made this quarter! I can't wait to grow and learn more and see where it takes me. You are definitely an inspiration for me!

I made like $29 this past quarter, and I am super proud of myself. I think we should both be proud that we've taken the time to create something awesome that somebody else obviously liked too. Every time I get that email, I get giddy! I hope that you continue to make more money! :-)

I really like the "tell it like it is" Erica! :) You are so right about everything. Selling and creating is a full time job and a ton of hard work. Sometimes I think that my old life (being a full time teacher) was so much easier than my new life as a full time blogger. Weekends and evenings are spent working and I find that I have less time with my family. It feels like I work non-stop. It's a huge commitment for sure. Great post!

Haha! I don't know how you do it all Melanie! I am ready to give away my cats, because I cannot keep up with the litter box. Imagine if I had kids? I am so glad we became friends through our blogging journeys. Someday we will meet up!

Great post Erica. I have been on this journey for just over a year now and it has been truly amazing- you are right, it is a lot of time and patience. I love every minute of it!! I think you have to love it to continue to do it day in and day out! Thanks for the inspirational post!JennieJD's Rockin' Readers

I loved your comment about I can't blog or figure out how to insert a graphic. As a newer blogger and TpT seller, my husband has heard me moan and groan at the computer many times as I try to play around with some of the programs and graphics. He always laughs at me, but I do always figure it out! Hard work always pays off!

Thank you for being honest!! This is my 3rd year teaching and I am trying blogging and doing tpt going to grad school and being newly married. It's hard work... As an outsider to it all it looked easy but I am learning you have to start from somewhere and just try you best..you inspire me. Thank you

Thank you for posting this. I started on TPT late last year and noticed things were slow but I always told myself I would create things that were authentic and useful to me if someone else was interested, they were welcomed to it via my store. I agree with you on so many points and I do have to say that has become a bit strange getting random emails from people asking me to tell them how to make my files? Or, rating my stuff and asking me to rate things for them. I didn't think that was what TPT was all about so I'm not about to get involved in all of that. Thanks for sharing your insights! Learning In Wonderland

Thank you Erica for taking the time to write all of that. I am sure that being saturated with questions for advice can get frustrating. On a positive note, there are those of us who truly appreciate and admire what you do. A couple of years ago I moved from Connecticut to Texas. Teaching in Texas is another world and to be honest I absolutey hated it at first and just wanted to quit. I am still in the process of learning to deal. By lurking around blogs, Pinterest, and Teachers Pay Teachers for the past year I feel like my passion for my job and can do attitude has started to return. I attribute this to all of you inspiritional teachers sharing what teaching can be when you really put your heart and soul into it. I just started blogging this week and already have learned so much. THANK YOU!JessicaLiteracy Spark

Thanks for your advice Erica. I just started my TpT store and blog this past summer. Since school started, I've began creating larger packages, but I haven't loaded them to my store yet. Instead, I'm testing the activities out with my own students and I feel like these packages are better than what I created over the summer. I plan to dress them up a bit and add them to my store this next summer. I've been concerned since I haven't added anything to my store since August, but I feel so much better about these items I'm creating now. I'm almost embarrassed by what I currently have in my store. I've learned so much since I started creating. All in all, I feel like it's helping me become a better teacher. After reading your post, I won't worry about going slow. I would rather provide quality items! Thanks again.

That is an awesome plan. So many times I do something with my own students and then I find a typo or I have a lightbulb moment of a way to make it easier for them. I have a few of my first items still in my store. I leave them there because they are still solid products and I know I can always update them and buyers can re-download for free.

Very well-written and I agree with every word! I love reading your blog and it has definitely been a help to me as I've been figuring out TPT and how to blog :) I've used it several times to make sure I'm on the right track. Keep up the good work :)

Great post! I am so committed to this "second job" and when people ask how or when I find the time, I tell them "If you want it bad enough, you make the time!" Everything I have learned has been from reading forums, great blogs like yours, and googling. Thanks for the reassurance that we are on the right track!Karen (a fellow NYer :)Mrs. Jones’s Kindergarten

Well said Erica! I feel so fortunate to have found the blogs and TPT. When I began teaching, I had to buy books at teacher stores. The blogs,freebies, and ideas have opened an entire world for teachers. We are lucky for that. I have been teaching second grade for 12 years and I am thankful for the new ideas! Thanks for doing what you do and keep it up! I appreciate it!

This was great to read. I am a teacher who benefits from lots of teachers' blogs & products on TPT. I truly don't have any desire to do it myself, but am so thankful for all of you who write blogs. I have learned so much from following blogs (yours being one of them). I love TPT & am constantly looking for new items to add to what I teach (this is my 20th year teaching). Thanks! Carol

Thank you so much for the wonderful advice, Erica! You're such an inspiration to us and you are our "hometown blog hero"(kinda...we're originally from W.I.). ;-) Have a wonderful 2nd half of the school year!-Jackie and Danielle- Sister Teachers

Great post and super cute button, hehe! It is definitely a lot of hard work, and it takes some work to figure it all out! As a teacher and a mom, it is really hard to find the time to create all the lessons that jump into my brain, but I'm hoping to have more time to devote this summer. In the meantime, I spend more time blogging on my classroom blog because my students LOVE it, and I love them!

You and lots of other amazing teacher bloggers are really helpful and an inspiration to many of us, and I appreciate your insight! (Also, thanks for linking to your board of tips and tutorials!) :D

Love everything about this post. Blogging and TPting is not easy. If you love it as much as you do teaching, you'll find the time. I blog after the kids and hubby go to bed. I think it all comes down to why you blog. Blog for you. Everything else will come...patience is the one little word (Farley style!).TaniaMy Second Sense

Well this is awesome. You are so sweet to give this advice to others...definitely shows how genuine you truly are! I started my TPT store last march....coming up on one year! I think it is going well so far but I have pretty big dreams and goals for 2013. But good grief... It is sooooo much work. I am a newly married first year teacher .. TPT seller... And sorta blogger (not as good at this as I would like to be) it is stinking' exhausting but totally worth it.

Wow! I can't believe you've been selling on TpT since 2008! I just discovered it this past year. Yup, I've been living under a rock. I'm a new blogger and seller and this post was super helpful. Well, your entire blog has been a blessing. I really appreciate you taking the time to share advice with us newbies.

Erica you are an inspiration from afar. I have not really gotten my blog started yet but I have been following many of your blogging cohorts. I work at a small private school where there is not much professional development The teaching blog community, TPT and Pinterest have filled that void. I love your straight, to the point advice. "You get what you give" and I hope you are receiving blessing in all areas of your life.

This is just one of your many posts I have learned from and gained inspiration. Your blog is one I check regularly. I have realized blogging and TpT is what you make it. For some it is just a hobby, that is how I started on the couch in the evenings blogstalking and then blogging myself. I then was considering getting a part-time job to help out more financially, but being a teacher, mom and wife the only hours I was free to work was between the hours of 10pm 2am. Then I decided to take my hobby and try to work at it like a job I enjoy. My biggest help I think was moving from the comfy couch to a desk! (I know it seems minor, but what a difference it makes in productivity!) Thanks for all you do and share!

Thanks, Erica for telling it like it is! Your words of encouragement and needed advice are greatly appreciated. Still being relatively new to all of this, many of us get started without really knowing the depth of work that goes into it. With all of the success surrounding TPT, it can appear to be an instant "cash cow" and it definitely IS NOT.

It takes a lot of time and hard work! BUT....the work is worth it. There's no greater joy in the classroom than seeing your students enjoy something you've created just for them! Beign able to share it with so many others is a great plus! It's so awesome! Thanks for your generous advice!I absolutely love reading your blog!

WOW! I thought you were talking to me in this blog. I so want to take this plunge but am taking it slow. Not sure how to do a blog and I am waiting til the summer to start selling in TPT. Right now I am watching, learning and gathering information. You made me feel so much better about taking my time and figuring it all out.

I love this post! January marks my TPT anniversary. I never imagined that it would be so much work to keep up my store but it has been so rewarding! I also have formed friendships across the country with kindred spirits I wouldn't have met otherwise. I love the extra income that comes from sharing my resources but also I am genuinely a better teacher for all of the connections I have made. Thanks for saying what needed to be said. :)

Erica, this blog was just the inspiration that I needed tonight. After being inspired by so many teachers online, I decided that I wanted to give something back... not to make money- which, let's be honest would be nice someday, but just to share. I just started a new blog and I find the experience exciting and overwhelming. I have always loved your resources and I respect and value the hard work that you put into your content and your products, so thanks for being an awesome bloggy role model!

Thanks for a great post Erica. I am new to TPT and to blogging. At times even when I put in the long hours to create something or post on my blog, nobody seems to notice, not even one comment. This can be disheartening. But as you said~ patience, success does not happen over night.

You know people are looking at your blog but they do not bother to let you know that they noticed. I guess that's the reality and you should never give.

I am from Australia and there are not many bloggers down here. I love the connections that I am making with people like you from the other side of the world.

I have been been blog stalking for a long time and you are one of my favourite bloggers.I always want to read your posts.

Thanks for the advice! I am new to blogging and the whole TPT thing. It definitely is a lot of work. For me...I am enjoying seeing all the creative teachers in this profession. It is so unbelievable. I am trying to organize a CA blogger meet up because I think it would be so much fun to meet and learn from others in my area. I love to hear when you guys blog about your meet ups. Thanks for being such an inspiration!!!

This post is fantastic!!!!!! This blogging world is new to so many of us, it seems like its big in the USA but nothing much in Australia, I'm loving finding some ideas and advice, this blog gave me the push I need to venture out and publish by first blog post! Thank you so much Erica, valuable words of advice!

Thank- you so much for this post! I couldn't agree more. I've been on TPT for a year now and I'm still learning as I go. It's definitely not a get rich quick thing and I worry some may have that impression. The friendships I have formed and the many wonderful things I have learned & implemented in my classroom are far more valuable to me.

Great post Erica! Thanks for sharing and inspiring so many! I'm hoping from the adorable button that this will be an ongoing post series....(or maybe it already is and I missed it because I was taking a techno timeout to spend some time with fam:) ) Happy New Year:)

I can't thank you enough for this enlightening, inspiring post! My husband has been on my tail for the past year to give my teaching ideas life and share them with others on TpT. I think I've just been scared to death to this point! After reading your very honest thoughts, I see that I need to have confidence and get on the ball! Again, thank you! I look forward to reading more in the future on this topic!

Erica - you were one of the first teacher-bloggers that I connected with 18 months ago when I started. You are a gem - a wonderful inspiration to us all, one of the sweetest people I know out there in "Blogland", and always willing to help out a friend (I know because you are always involved in my giveaways and have the kindest words for me). I have grown as a blogger and TpT seller because of the guidance from you and many other friends I have made online. Thank you for everything. I hope that our friendship continues to grow and I wish you all the best for 2013!

Thank you so much for posting this, Erica! These are tips exactly what new bloggers and TPT sellers need. If wish I would have read this a year ago when I started blogging. I like how you got to the point quick ;)LOVE you Nanny's saying, what a smart lady!

Thank you so much for posting this. Your tips are very helpful. I started blogging and selling on TPT last year. It has been a slow process getting followers, but I am hanging in there. The whole blogging and creating aspect is like you said a second job. Sometimes it is so hard for me to do, when I have my 2 year old wanting my attention. That's when I have to turn to my husband and have her entertain her so that I can get some work done. When I'm creating my activities or units, I have now set a goal of creating at least one or two a day. I also keep a check list next to me of what I want in my packets. Now with my new positions as an Instructional Coach, I am giving the activities to my teachers for them to use in their classrooms and then getting feedback from them, as well as, observing their students using the activities. Then, I can go back and tweak them if need be.

Thanks for posting this! I felt like I needed a refresher for the new year on blogging. I also love the blogging community. You are such an inspiration to others and are a wonderful blogger! Thank you for sharing all of your idea, tips, and advice.Rambling About Reading

Love it Erica, thanks for your insights. I'm starting a new blog and it has been really hard especially when I can't upload any pictures :) But as you pointed out if this is what I really want, I should try harder!!!!! Thanks a bunch you're a great inspiration.

I appreciate your frankness and advice. I wish more people understood exactly how much work goes into blogging and TpT. I sat down and did the math for how much time I've put into one of my most recent products and the final figure astounded me. It's important for teachers and sellers to do it right. I hope a lot of teachers/bloggers took your advice to heart!

Although we have not talked previously, I want to say how much this post inspired me to keep blogging. I just recently started the whole blogging thing and let me tell you I was worried if I could do it. I know that it will take time and dedication, but I love knowing that I might give someone out there that idea that will make the day easier for them. That is what I strive for! So many bloggers/teachers have done that for me over the past year of finding the teacher blogger world and I want to return the favor. I also am slowly beginning to create activities for my classroom. I don't think I am ready for the TPT world quite yet. I want to share my ideas through my blog and let others see how it looks in action in the classroom and then progress from there.

Thank you for this post and opening my eyes to it's ok for things to take time.

Thanks for the tips. I started blogging/ TpT in December. Over this winter break I have been working hard to create resources that I know I can use it my classroom. I'm hoping that they will be helpful to other teachers. I am hoping that my priced items sell a few, but I'm glad that you have shared your experience that it takes a lot of patience and hard work. I just celebrated my first sale, and I am happy with that. So after reading your blog post, I will continue to celebrate my little successes. =)

rock on Erica! there are so many new sellers and bloggers out there and they need this frank advice! the underpricing lately is really getting to me on TpT. I work just like you. It takes me longer and longer to create these days because I take the time to make them look good AND be useful! I spend forever changing backgrounds and fonts! have you seen http://wordmark.it/it takes all your installed fonts and shows you how it would look!I have also sworn that everything I post will be something I have used myself. so amen sister!Rachel

Great post! My first payout was $3! And I STILL forward my sister my "sold a product" emails. I don't make a lot of money, but I do really appreciate the nice comments and encouragement. With our new teacher appraisal system, the feedback I get through fellow teachers is more meaningful and encouraging than my principal :) I love learing from you!!!! Thanks for a wonderful blog :)jh

I am so glad you posted this! It made me laugh so hard when I read the part about googling how to insert a picture... I know how to do that but to link a picture. Oh My!! It seriously took me 2 hours to figure it out but after website after website and three YouTube videos I was successful!

This is such a valuable post for any seller out there! Your common sense approach is just what everyone needs. Thank you for the insights, and know that you have a fellow cat owner friend who can't keep up with the litter box either! The time invested in quality work is definitely worth it!Maggie (Maggie's Kinder Corner)

Thanks for sharing your insights! I also just started blogging and opened a TPT store with a fellow teacher friend. At times, it's disheartening when we still have no comments and our freebies are the only thing that have been downloaded.

We will take your advice and increase our activity on both sites and maybe the ball will get rolling!

Thanks Erica for the inspirational advice. I have been a follower of yours for awhile and you have been an inspiration to me each and every day. I now have a guinea pig in my classroom--because I loved reading about your sweet pig. Your post was timely for me because I am wanting to jump into the world of blogging and TpT (I set up an account with blogger 2 years ago and have been afraid to actually take the leap!)Anyway, thanks for the down-to-earth advice...and thanks for all you contribute to teachers everywhere!

Erica, this blog post is such an answer to prayer for me. I have realized in the past week I have made TONS of mistakes. It is never too late to get good advice and change your ways. I need to remember why I started blogging and why I want to continue. =)

YOU are an inspiration to so many out there because you are such a good role model about how to get where you are by doing things the right way and by being dedicated and hard working.

Thank you for helping and inspiring me to not just become a better blogger but a better teacher. YOU are a blessing. =)

Thank you! My Nanny actually passed away last Thursday and my mother wrote this beautiful eulogy and reminded me that she used to say that. She once told my mother not to get off the bus unless she got an A on her test. Well she got an A- and would not get off the bus!

Wonderful advice! I've followed you for quite a while and even bought your polka dot classroom decoration packet when I got my first teaching job this year. I love it! So many people ask about it and I always sing your praises! I just recently decided to start blogging and I am going to use this advice for my blog. I don't think I'll start a TPT account anytime soon but I still love buying from there and seeing all of the wonderful things everyone creates.

This is such a great post! I just started my own TPT store and I feel a little lost and sooooooo afraid I am going to make a mistake! Like you, I have spent hours and hours googling how to do things. Right now it is taking me forever to create my products, but I love it!Thank you so much for this post....it and you are an inspiration! SharonBuggy for First Grade

Erica,Thanks so much for the reminders. I started my TPT store in September and have been putting in A LOT of effort and time. I recently started my new blog and do become overwhelmed. I remind myself all the time that not everyone has instant success and all worked very hard for it.

Great post Erica! Google is also my best friend. There is still so much to learn and I often spend hours watching tutorials and reading up on things through google before I can even begin working on a new unit! Great advice for us newbie bloggers and great reminders for more seasoned ones! Thanks.JenniferThe Blessed Teacher

Love this post! Blogging came easily to me but TpT was something completely new to try. I took the plunge (I was quite nervous) and agree it's A LOT of work (finding the right font, clipart, layout, making sure you're following all the rules). I always try out the work with my kiddos first and then upload it to TpT.

I think you said SO much here in such a small amount of space. Thank you for saying it like it is. I feel like there is so much you have expressed here. I just hope the right people read it and take it to heart. I am new to this world too and I try to listen to advice like this as much as possible. I HATE the idea of people starting tpt and blogging as a get rich quick scheme but I see it in so many places! I feel like it actually takes a strong voice to stand up to it. Thank you!

This post is exactly what I needed to find at exactly this time. Sounds silly, but I feel like it's a sign that I felt this nudge..

I'm not sure if some of these bigger bloggers {like you} and one of my co-workers, Michele Oakes know how inspiring you are to teachers just starting out. It is beyond refreshing that we have a group of strong successful ENERGETIC veterans leading the way. The energy and passion that you all have matches what I feel now in my first year of teaching. It helps me keep going, knowing that my ideas are good ideas and that I really can do anything

I just started blogging and have been selling on TpT since last year and I just feel that I can down the road make it successful for me and my family. Thank you for being a source of inspiration for me and my big and for my future!

What wonderful advice. I am like some of the other replies in that I am just starting out on TPT. Your tips and encouragement are much needed. It also makes me feel better that as a veteran, you still spend a ton of time on your products. I only have a few out but have learned much in the process. I am not ready to attempt blogging just yet but will continue to read blogs like yours and others to gain advice and experience. Thank you again.

Love the straight talk and encouragement. Thank you for the reminder that hard work does pay off. In the last year, I have grown so much. I am proud of my accomplishments and have made a goal sheet for each month. Baby steps…and when I get a comment from my principal saying, "I bet you found that on Pinterest," I just smile to myself because she has no idea that I came up with the idea on my own and I'm damn PROUD! It's awesome being a teacher!!!

Thanks for the great post. I especially like "play by the rules". I have seen some posts on the forum for requests for pinners or begging for followers that I thought were a little inappropriate. I started TPT almost a year ago and have grown my store slowly with freebies and items I feel are of quality. I am thankful for each comment/ purchase because being apart of this online collaboration with teachers has helped me be a better teacher.

Thank you Erica for this WONDERFUL post. It's funny that we have never talked or officially met, but I feel like I know you! I started blogging this summer after being inspired by so many people like you. The blogging and TPT world is exciting, overwhelming, scary and but very INSPIRING! I love seeing how you bloggers (now friends) meet up and form friendships! When I see pictures, I'm like, "I want to meet up with those adorable girls and hang out. I know I would love them and have a blast!!" So my goal for this year, is to hang out and meet you! If you or any other girls ever come to SUNNY southern california (San Diego), we MUST meet up!!!! Thank you for working it so hard. It definitely shows! Jaimiekinderworldway@blogspot.com

Hi Erica,Not only did I read through your entire post, but I also read almost all of the comments. I don't really want to write the same thing that everyone else wrote, but you are so inspiring to me and I appreciate the advice you shared. It's funny, because I just recently posted in my blog that sometimes I get frustrated that things don't come faster. But when I read that someone as talented as you takes their time when creating, it makes me think that what I am doing is fine. I just started my blog in October and selling things on TPT shortly after. It takes me a while-usually a week to make something just 20 pages long. I'm proud of my 3 blog followers and my 11 TPT followers. I hope those numbers grow, but Rome wasn't built in a day. Thank you again!Staceyschoolsafari.blogspot.com

As a new blogger, I am just beginning to realize how much work it requires. I enjoy it, but realize that I have a lot to learn. I am still not far from the using Comic Sans font. At this time, I don't have major inspiration to open a TpT store because I am only a second year teacher and don't feel like I can take on all that it requires. Plus, I am in the begging, borrowing, and "stealing" phase of my career. That being said, thank you for all that you share and create. I hope that the few things I do make and share can help some teacher in at least some small way, so that I can give something back to the blogging world.

I also hope that as a new blogger, I do not "offend" other more experienced bloggers as I learn and try new things. I know that I might make some mistakes along the way, but I am committed to work hard and see what happens.

Well said! :) Thanks for sharing some great advice!! I especially agree with the use of Google to learn how to create your products. There are so many great resources out there to learn how to teach, create, and blog.

I would call myself a "new blogger" - meaning that while I started my blog during this past calendar year, I am definetly new to being a "good blogger." I try to branch out and follow blogs that appeal to my interests and posts (not just for more followers for me) and leave meaningful comments. I also open my TpT store just a couple of months ago, and totally see your point about the correlation between hard work and success. I am always looking for others' success stories, because at times, I feel discouraged, having fewer than 100 blog followers, and fewer than 20 TpT followers, but reading your post has put things into perspective for me. One of my goals for the New Year is to increase my blog quality (and quantity) and certainly the quality of my TpT products. Thank you for this thought-provoking post.

Thank you so much for this post! I am a new blogger, new teacher, and hoping to start with TpT this summer. It is helpful to hear that the bloggers that I started reading first and look up to (like you!) also struggled to get to where they are now. Thanks!

Well said Erica!! I am only 9 months in and I've never looked back! I love every single relationship I've formed and all the growth I've made as a professional! It has been unreal! Thanks for this post!NicoleRowdy in Room 300

You were one of the first blogs I ever followed and your dedication to your craft is truly inspiring! Since I've begun actively creating products, I've found that I have a secret love of fonts, clip art, and backgrounds! It's ridiculous! I'm so humbled each time someone leaves a positive comment. That's what keeps me working hard!

My ultimate goal is to pay off my student loans with my TPT earnings. It's taken patience, but I'm taking things slowly and just giving it my all. I look back at some of the things I first created and have those "GASP-comic sans" moments! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one.

I started way back in 2008 as well, and my store just took off this year after I started my blog. I noticed the same thing with the fonts and clip art and have spent a good amount of time researching both. I still make "little" games, but they seem to sell all right. I do find that I search TPT for things I need before I make them. If I find something I can use, I typically purchase it to save me time. If not, I do create what I need myself.

Thanks for posting about this! It gave me the confidence to know that what I am doing is all right!

Erica,This was a very helpful post! I am new to blogging, though I have followed for awhile, I just started my own blog and TpT store. Your advice obviously has touched so many of us! There is so much to learn, so every time a blogger posts advice like this, it is very much appreciated!! WOW! Since 2008?!? Where have I BEEN?!?! :) Have a good one!KimTheVeryBusyFirstGraders

Hey now...don't bash the comic sans....it was the cutest of the font choices at the time! Now looking at fonts gives me option paralysis! Thanks for all of your hard work. Your units are always fabulous and your blog is full of ideas...not just promoting your tpt items. I really appreciate the balance you have created. Your class must be a blessed group of kids to be around you all day!

Thanks for posting your advice! I agree that if you that blogging and creating tpt activities is time consuming and you have to want to put in the hard work and hours. But oh does it feel great when you are done with a packet and are just proud of it!-Lovely Ninawww.lovelylittlelearners.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for the guidance. I am also new to this world of blogging. I am taking baby steps and will eventually dip into the TpT and TN stuff. What I love about blogging is the reflecting. The followers and fans are just a bonus, but the comments are great too! I have a question on etiquette for you. Is it ok to "share" a FB post that has limited time freebie? I kind of felt like it was not, but I am not sure. Thanks again for the awesome post.Blessings,Valerie

Thank you Erica! Love this post. I have been on TpT for a little while. I only have a few products, but wanting to start a blog and produce more. Your post really has me thinking how seriously I should dive into the blogging/TpT world. When I start working on a creation I get so sucked into it, so I can't even imagine how much of your life is consumed by it. I am a 2nd grade teacher and mother of a 4 year old and a 1 year old and have a spouse that has been deployed and will be deployed until August of 2014. I may be getting into something I shouldn't! Love your blog and your TpT store. Thanks for your inspiration! You are awesome!

Thanks so much for this post, Erica. I started my teaching blog last week!, and have been doing TPT for a month. My husband and I talk about how it truly is a second job. But I love it, and I'm so thankful for your advice.

Thanks for the wonderful advice Erica. I agree that there are countless hours invested in creating valuable curriculum. My hubby at times thinks that I am having a love affair with photoshop! Bug hugs,ShellyThe Land of Glitter

PREACH IT, GIRL!!! Great stuff! I have been gone for the last week and as soon as I opened google reader and saw your post title, I couldn't wait to read it. I really appreciate that you wrote this, not just for newbies, but it is all a great reminder for seasoned bloggers, too. My favorite was "play by the rules and play nice!". I recently have been pretty burned. Be true to your word! Treat others the way you want to be treated, right?! It's just more than making a dollar....it's about making a friend, too. Connecting with someone who shares the same passion as you. You are so right...it's all a lot of work. I, too, have noticed that the more my blog grows, the more my TpT sells have grown. Imagine that! ;) Have a great Saturday!!

I came by this post through Deedee...she has been so helpful. All the bloggers I have met have been so kind. This has been such good advice, some confirming that I am on the right track...patience...I need patience...your words encouraging me to keep going. I love your Nanny's advice. I think last year when I wanted to start I thought everyone else was so professional. It wasn't until I got brave and said oh what the heck I just jumped in and started. Now I am on a path of slowly building a readers and a portfolio of freebies. I don't think I have enough product to open a store just yet. But that is my goal for this year.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this post. It is so uplifting and encouraging. After 30+ hours of creating a unit to sell and you finally post it, its hard not to be impatient. Patience is so important. For me, I like to think of blogging and creating lessons for tpt as my creative outlet. I'm in the middle of writing all of my national boards papers and I love to take a "break" and work on stuff for my blog, or cute lessons to make for my classroom. This was a great post for all of us to read! Thanks again!

Thank you for sharing your words of wisdom (in this post, and so many others). It helps remind all of us what it means to be successful--and how to create things we're truly proud of! Even though we have yet to meet in person, I'm SO HAPPY to call you my friend. Karen :o)Mrs. Stamp's Kindergarten

Very well said!! You're so right about the time comment. I giggled to myself at the newsletter today when Paul said paid items take 4 hours or more. My Valentine's Day unit took me 40+ hours :) As for followers I prefer to have the ones I have who want to follow me than a larger number of people who probably will never purchase from me or read my blog. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.LaureenTeach With Laughter

I agree with everything you said, Erica...I am starting to see progress in my own store, and it definitely is/was a lot of hard work. This school year has been busy for me, so I haven't devoted as much time to building products or blogging as I would like. I have spent more time working on stuff for school. Balancing time is definitely a talent.

Thank you for this post. It was just what I needed. I need to learn to be patient and just keep working hard to be successful. I just started blogging over Christmas Break and I really appreciate all your tips!

Really enjoyed reading this post - it's great to learn a few things from a seasoned seller. My sister and I are new to TpT - we started in October - and we've been trying our best to absorb as much information as we can! Hopefully we haven't made too many mistakes along the way!

Anyways, thank you for the post - it is very helpful! And btw, thank you for grabbing one of our clip art sets - I still remember that you bought one because when I saw the buyer name I recognized it from the top sellers list! So thank you :)

Erica, I'm sorry it took me so long to read this. You are so wise and inspiring and I'm very glad you shared this with our blogging community. I remember advice you have given before an d I've always held it in high regard, just as I do with what you've shared here. Thank you for always being there and always being someone incredible to look up to. Thanks for the link to my blog too, it means the world to me coming from you!! :)

Erica, thank you for taking the time to list some important reminders to all of us. I was secretly so happy to see that you can spend and hour on one page. I know, that's so mean of me, but justifies all of the time I spend on my pages. Thank you for inspiring me (and many others) to be better:) I'm sorry to read of the loss of your Nanny. Prayers are with you.Elizabeth

Your food for thought is ALWAYS practical and I can't tell you how much I have been inspired by you. Did you know that I started blogging after reading a post you did about the small steps you took towards bettering your teaching skills and increasing your sales on TpT?? Thank you for your knowledge & I thoroughly agree that there is a direct correlation between hard work and success. I too find that sales drop when I am not staying as connected as I should or blogging on a regular basis!!

Thanks for sharing your advice and thoughts, Erica! You have definitely inspired me to continue my blogging journey and not give up. My followers have been very slow coming, but I'm going to keep on keeping on! Thanks for your encouragement :)

Wow! Thank you so much for this post! It was exactly what I needed tonight... I started my blog a few months ago and have been disappointed with myself for not investing more time and effort. Reading all the wonderful teacher blogs, such as yours, has always been such an inspiration to me and I so badly want to be able to do the same for other teachers! But as a new blogger, having only a few followers, I sometimes feel like I have no audience and have been at a lost for how to get more involved in the teacher blog community! Your words of advice were exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you so, so much!

Thank you for taking the time to share with many the struggles and time it takes to starting a blog and a TPT store. I started my store a year ago and my first blog this past summer. I wish I'd had your message from the get go. It is a slow but steady process and I know many get impatient and want it to happen quickly. I'm amazed at how fast things are growing on TPT and even Pinterest. I've been in education for over 30 years and who would have thought we'd be sharing ideas on the internet way back when. Again, thank you for encouraging so many!!Kyp

Great post! We all hear the big success stories from TPT and sometimes forget how much hard work and time goes into it all. It is defiantly not an over night process. I started blogging during my student teaching days and I maybe had 3 or 4 followers. More than anything my blog has been a neat place for me to look back and see how much I have grown as a teacher during my first year of this profession. Thanks for all of the time you put in online! : )

Thanks Erica! This is such a good resource to share with others. I can see why you wrote it because I wish I had read it from the get-go! It is so much easier to read this than sort through a bajillionty TpT forum posts. Anyway, I think that we all start out with products that make us want to pee our pants when we first start on TpT and a minor anxiety attack on that first blog post. Hopefully, people will be forgiving with the mistakes us newbies make and try to remember how it feels to be "green". I also enjoyed Heather's (Heather's Heart) response post.

You should go in my store and try and find some of my old products! They are so bland. Even my first posts here were boring. It takes time to find your voice. And just like we tell our students, to get good at something, like making TpT products, it takes time and practice. I am still learning new techniques and it still takes me forever to finish a packet. The point of my post was to make people realize that you need to stick with it for results and that this is not a get rich quick plan. And don't worry I don't hold a grudge or blacklist people for saying "follow me." I understand what it is like to be new. The focus of blogging should be on writing blog posts and sharing ideas. When bloggers do that, then the followers will come.

Thank you SO SO SO very much Erica! I have started making TPT items and am too starting out with smaller items. I am trying to learn more and create better items. This post helps a TONS! I also love that I can relate back to all the resources you provided for future reference. I really needed this.

Hi Erika...I wanted to say THANK YOU for THIS post! I was wondering if I was doing something wrong, or if I was just not as competent as I need to be because it DOES take A LOT of time to create and blog. I am learning as I go and I have no friends who are blogging and selling unit on TpT so I don't have anyone to bounce ideas off of. After reading your post, I feel so much better...I had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders because I realized the time I am spending is ,is normal!!!!! I have said to my husband so many times that I could spend so much more time blogging and creating but I have had to learn how to balance family, kids, work, and TpT/blogging which had been hard to do. I do love creating and it is my "outlet" but I hope that it continues to be something I love and not become something I "have to do!" Again, thanks for the post, it was really helpful!

What great info, thanks for posting! I've been "selling" on TpT for a few years now but not really putting much time into it; I'd only uploaded a few items and was getting the occasional sale. Now I have some spare time to actually do something more so fingers crossed your wonderful advice will help!

Hi Erica,I have been a TpT seller since September. I wish I would have seen this post then. Not only would I have been more prepared, but I also would have been able to get you a cut of Paul's paycheck!! I did just begin a blog and have slowly been learning the ends and outs of it. You mentioned some very helpful tips. I have also learned some great techy tips from Maria over at Kinder-Craze.blogspot.comYou are already a pro at all of this but I thought I could share something that I have found helpful.)Thanks so much for sharing!CaraKindergarten Boom Boom

First off, I have to say, I AM A HUGE FAN!!!! You continue to inspire me in and out of the classroom! I just wanted to say thank you for this post. I have been selling on TPT since fall of last year, and have had moderate success. I love creating resources for my classroom and love that other teachers find value in what I've created! I've been toying with the idea of a "Teacher Blog" for over a year now, but always had some sort of " I can't" excuse. Even now, more than ever, I have the BIGGEST "I can't" excuse ( I just had a baby 3 weeks ago :)) After reading your post, I know I have to turn that "I can't" into an: I CAN!!! I only wish I became a seller after reading your post.... I would love for you to have 5% of my sales instead of Paul! Thanks again for your "Tell it like it is" advice!

I just found your blog and I am now your newest follower! I love how you speak you mind. I completely agree with you. I just started a blog and just started selling at TPT and I get so excited when anyone even acknowledges me. I love knowing that I helped out other teachers or inspired them to create something in their classroom. Keep up the good and honest work! :) Pinkadots Elementary

I'm so glad I found this post! I started selling and blogging last year and it has been quite a learning experience. BTW - your blog was the first teaching blog I ever found and inspired me to take on the adventure :). You have made me feel so much better about how long it takes to make a unit. I had started to think that because it takes me SO LONG to make a unit(or a single page!) that I was doing something wrong. Especially when I get the notifications of sellers posting something new every week! (How do they do that???) Thanks again!LauraOver the 1st Grade Rainbow

Happy to find this post. I just started a blog and rush home to see if anyone visited. It's sort of pitiful. I feel so much better after reading your post. Thank you for keeping my ego from plummeting too quickly. Great advice!

Thanks for the pointers Erica. I just started selling on TpT last October(have made $35.55 so far, and I've been really excited about that.) I also have someone helping me create a blog, that will hopefully be up and running next weekend. I need all of the advice I can get so I'm glad I ran across your blog!

I am so glad I found your blog. I am just starting out (I am SUPER excited), but I feel a little overwhelmed and lack a lot knowledge. I cannot wait to look through your posts and tips! I had actually run across your blog when looking up fitness a while back and now I am taking the time to check it out! Thank you for taking the time to offer up help to those of us who are a teeny bit lost starting out!

This is such great advice! I just started blogging, TPT, Facebook, etc. this January. It is completely overwhelming, but with great post like yours, it makes me feel a little more at ease. Thank you so much!

This blog post is exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you! I will possibly be transitioning into selling/blogging full-time in the upcoming year. I too believe that hard work and dedication will pay off, even if it ends up taking longer than you think :)

Thanks for the great advice. I have read a few of your blog posts and have found them quite helpful. I am brand new to the blogging scene and TPT. I take it quite seriously and feel like I am a sponge right now! I have followed you in many places. Thanks again!www.penelopesportfolio.com